Dispensing device



Dec. 8, 1964 F. RADIC ETAL DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Feb. 26. 1963 INVENTORIS. .F Tar/Z6 Rczczo '40 mara?, /S 224e United States Patent O 3,166,329 BISPENSING DEVICE Frank Radic, 1314 East fave., Berwyn, Ill., and Martin Scire, 6611 W. Melrose St., Chicago, Ill. Filed Feb. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 261,148 7 Claims. (Cl. 222-2414) This invention relates to dispensing devices for dispensing viscous materials such as toothpaste, cosmetic creams, paints and analogous materials and more particularly to a valve assembly used in such dispensing devices.

An object of the invention is to provide a dispensing device which will operate eiliciently to dispense uid and semi-fluid materials which have a tendency to clog or obstruct pumping passages because of their physical characteristics.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing device having a terminal outlet which seals itself after a desired quantity of viscous material is ejected thereby preventing the material within a pumping passage from caking or drying up.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing device which will operate satisfactorily in dispensing viscous materials over a relatively long distance.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a dispensing unit which can be attached to container illed with viscous substance and which is spill-proof regardless of any inverted position of the container.

An additional object of the invention is concerned with a valve assembly which is of simple construction and inexpensive to manufacture and which can be easily replaced in dispensing devices adapted to the use of this valve assembly.

Gther and further objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and claims in reference to the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show preferred embodiments for carrying out the principles involved in this invention. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and various structural modifications may be made as desired by those pers-ons who are skilled within the art Without departing from the present invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE l is a cross-sectional view taken along the line Il in FIGURE 2 illustrating a support member which forms a component of a valve assembly shown partially in cross-section in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the support member;V

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of a valve member forming the other component of the valve assembly shown partially in cross-section in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3 illustrating the valve member;

FIGURE 5 is a central longitudinal sectional vieW of a dispensing device embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section of a portion of the dispensing device shown in FIGURE 5 and illustrating the disposition of the valve assembly; and

FIGURE 7 is a central longitudinal sectional view of a modication of the invention in the form of a dispensing unit having spill-proof characteristics and which is attachable to a container lled with a fluid.

1 In reference to FIGURES l to 4, there are disclosed two components which form a valve assembly for use in the dispensing devices to be described later, said components being a support member 1b and a valve member 12. The support member 10 is inthe form of a iiat member of disk 14 vmade ofrigid material and ICS having a concave surface 16 and a convex surface 18 centrally terminating in a nipple 20. One or more apertures 22 are disposed intermediate the center and the periphery of the disk 14, which is preferably made of material which is relatively inert to substances which come in contact with it during a pumping operation, as will be described later. Such inert material, for example, may be glass or stainless steel. It is to be understood that the support member may be formed into other shapes which need not necessarily be round.

The valve member 12 is made from stretchable material, relatively inert to substances with which it comes in contact during a pumping operation. For example the valve member 12 may be made from rubber, natural or synthetic. The valve member 12 has a large opening 24 and a small opening 26. The diameter of the valve member 12 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the support member lil so that when the valve member is drawnover the support member, as shown in FIGURE 6, portion 28 of the valve member 12 .tautly overlaps the aperture 22 thereby forming an effective seal thereover. Flange portion 30 of the valve member 12 stretchingly overlaps lands 32 and 34 associated with a circular groove 36 formed near the periphery of the support member 10.

The support 10 and the valve member 12 form together valve assemblies 38 and 38a which are utilized in the preferred embodiment of the dispensing device 4t) shown in FIGURE 5. The dispensing device 4t) has a cylindrical pumping housing 42 made of resilient material, such as rubber, and attached at one end to a connector 44 having a cylindrical external member 46 engaging an inner cylindrical member 48, for example, by threads (not shown) with the valve assembly 38 disposed between these members. The external member 46 is coupled to one end of the pumping housing 42 by any suitable means such as spring ring 5t) and groove 54. The free end of the inner member 48 is coupled by suitable means, such as threads (not shown), to a collapsible container 56 iilled with viscous fluid which it is desired to pump from one location to another.

The other end of the pumping housing 42 is coupled to a connector 58 which comprises a male cylindrical member 60 engaged by suitable means, such as threads (not shown), with a female cylindrical member 62 with the valve assembly 38a disposed between these members. The female member 62 is coupled to the pumping housing 42 by any suitable means, such as spring ring 64 adapted tov conform with groove 66 in said female member. The free end of the male member is coupled by any suitable means to tubing 68 which conducts pumped matter to` a distant location and is terminated by an output unit 70 which comprises a cylindrical housing 72 with a cylin-v drical inlet 74 adapted for connection to the tubing 68, one end of said housing being closed by an adjustable cap 76 provided with an air vent 78, and the other end terminating in a constricted opening 80 through which pumped matter lis discharged.

The housing 72 supports within itself a piston member i wall of the housing 72 and containing an `O ring gasket 90.V

Reference is now made to FIGURE 6 wherein the connector 58 is shown in an enlarged view disclosing, partly in cross-section, the valve assembly 38a and its individual components, to-wit: the support-member 10 and the valve member 12.V The female member 62 has a ridge aieaaaa 1n order to pump the viscous material within the container 56 which is made of foil or some other collapsible.

material, the resilient pumping housing 42 is compressed repeatedly by hand thereby expelling air out of the interior of the housing through the valve assembly 3&1, the tubing 68, into chamber 96 in the output unit 70 and forcingthe piston member 82 away from the opening 80 so that air can be forced out of the chamber. Specically, as shown in FIGURE 6, air under pressure moves through a bore 98 in the female member 62 toward the valve assembly 3&1, through the apertures 22 forcing the por-` tion 23' away from its engagement with the disk 14 and the nipple 20 so that the air then moves into a bore 100 f in the male member 60 and then into the tubing 63V toward the output unit 70.

During the time that the pumping housing 42 is compressed so that the-valve assembly v38a operates to pass matter therethrough, the pressure built up within the housing causes the valve member 12 in the valve` assembly 38 to hug more tightly its respective support member' preventing thereby backup of any matter therethrough into the .container 56.

Without going into toordetailed explanation, it is evident that when the compression of the pumping housing 42 is removed, the housing returns to its vnatural unrestrained form and creating a partial Vacuum in its interior thereby causing the valve assembly 38a to close and the valve assembly 38 to open and permit viscous matter within the container 56 to be drawn past the valve assembly 3S intov the pumping housingl 42. After the incipient air is completely expelled, the dispensing ydevice 40 is totally filled with the pumped matter. The output unit 70 serves the function of emitting the pumped matter until no further pumping action is applied to the hous.

ing 42. Thereafter, the piston member 82 movesr toward and eventually closes the opening 80 to provide an effective seal against the entry of air which could dry up the'v matter within the interior of the dispensing device. Also, a wipe clean `condition is provided thereby'preventing oozing and dripping of the pumped matter.

The valve assemblies described hereinbefore can bev utilized in various forms of pumping devices. A modication of the dispensingdevice is disclosed in FIGURE 7, as identied by reference numeral 102.L The dispensing device 102 comprises a housing 104, a spout 106 andV a generally semi-spherical member 10S which is madeV of resilient material, such as rubber, and which serves asa pumping member.

The housing 104 has an outlet bore 110 with threads on the interior for engagement with threads on the exterior of the spout 106. A valve assembly 38b is placed within the bore 110 and forced against seat 112 within the bore by screwing inward the spout V1155.y The inlet of the housing 104 comprises Va cylindrical member 114 resilient gasket 120, made for example of rubber, with a center `opening 122 through which extends a Siphon through opening 142 in the spout.

vduring the'compression cycle, the valve assembly 38e by screwing the housing 1114 onto the neck 115 of the container 116. As can be readily seen, the valve assemblies 38b and 35C comprise the components as previously described in reference to FIGURES l to 4. The Siphon member 124i extends below the level of liquid 14) in the container 116.

Operation In order to pump the liquid 146 out of the container 116, the member 1418 Vis compressed manually causing air or uid contained therein to be forced through the valve assembly 38!) into the spout 1% and outward At this time, i.e.,

valve assembly 38C Vand into the interior of the member Y 108 while simultaneously outside air enters through the air vent 136, the groove 134, the air vent 132 in the vent ring 130, past the pressurek sealexisting between the gasket 120 and the sphon member 124, and into the interior of ,the container 116.V In the event that the container 116 is trippe'd over on its side, no spilling will occur because ofthe pressure seal existing betweenv the gasket 120 and the siphon member 124.

The arrangement of the valve assemblies in the embodiments disclosed in FIGURESS and 7 is merely illustrative. kThe construction of the dispensing devices may be changed to achieve any particular result. For example, the spout 106 may be constructed so that substantially no cavity exists therein so that iluid is expelled directly with no accumulation of thefluid within the spout. The position of the'valve assembly 38h may be altered so that the valve assembly issubstantially in contact with the sloping wall on the interior'of the spout.

. The present invention is not limited to thespeciiic details set forth inthe foregoing examples which should be construed as illustrative and not by way of any limitations and, in view of the numerous changes which maybe eiected therein without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention, it is desired that onlysuch limitations be imposedy as are indicated in the appended claims.`

We claim:

l. A dispensing device comprising, in combination, an elongated compressible hollowV member, a connector attached at each end of said member, each connector containing` a valve assembly, one connector being adapted for attachment to a source of viscous fluid and the other connector providing a pumping outlet, each valveV assembly comprising acircular support member made of rigid material having a convex. surface centrally terminating in a nipple, said member having at least one aperture disposed intermediate the nipple and the periphery, a resilientv circular valve member having a central open- Y ing adapted to encompass said nipple and aflange pormember 124 which has an outwardly flared section 126 terminating in a ange 128 rwhich is supported atopy a venting ring 130 having an air vent 132 which communicates with a groove 134 in the periphery ofthe venting ring. The groove 134 in turn communicates with an air vent 136 contained in the member 114 thereby, as will be described later, permitting entry of airinto the interior of the container 116. A valve assembly v258e Vis supportedv atop lthe flange 128 and is forced against a seat 138 on the interior of the member 114 into a seal tight position tion overlapping the periphery of said support member, the diameterof said valve member being smaller than vthe diameter of said support member, said valve member stretchingly overlapping said convex surface to form a seal under tension over said aperture, whereby actuation of said compressible member pumps said viscous fluid through said pumping outlet. -v

2.y A dispensing device. according to claim l, said pumping outlet being connected to a pumping passage, and an output unit disposed` at the end ofv said pumping passage for dispensing said viscous iluid at a predetermined minimum pressure. l

3'. A dispensing device comprising, in combination, a housing with a cylindrical portion adapted forv attachment to a container of fluid, a siphon member extending into'said container and having a flange disposed within said cylindrical portion, said ange being disposed between a vent member and a valve assembly in a sealed relationship, a cylindrical spout portion in said housing, said spout portion including a spout, a second valve assembly sealingly disposed between said spout and said spout portion, each valve assembly comprising a circular support member made of rigid material having a convex surface centrally terminating in a nipple, said member having at least one aperture disposed intermediate the nipple and the periphery, a resilient circular valve member having a central opening adapted to encompass said nipple and a ange portion overlapping the periphery of Said support member, the diameter of said valve member being smaller than the diameter of said support member, said valve member stretchingly overlapping said con vex surface to form a seal under tension over said aperture, a pumping portion in said housing, a compressible hollow member sealingly attached to said pumping portion, and air vents in said cylindrical portion and said vent member communicating with each other and the interior of said container, whereby manipulation of said compressible member pumps said uid out of the container past said valve assemblies out through the spout simultaneously with the entry of air through the air vents into the container.

4. A dispensing device according to claim 3, including a gasket with a central opening sealingly encompassing a peripheral portion of said Siphon member and disposed adjacent said vent member atop the outlet of said container, whereby said gasket prevents leakage of fluid through said air vents.

5. A dispensing device according to claim 3, each of said valve assemblies comprising a support means with at least one opening therethrough, perforated resilient valve means stretched across one side of said support means and sealingly covering said opening, whereby said valve means prevents passage of fluid in one direction only.

6. A valve assembly for controlling the flow of pumped lluids, comprising a circular support member made of rigid material having a convex surface centrally terminating in a nipple, said member having at least one aperture disposed intermediate the nipple and the periphery, a resilient circular valve member having a central opening adapted to encompass said nipple and a flange portion overlapping the periphery of said support member, the diameter of said valve member being smaller than the diameter of said support member, whereby said valve member stretchingly overlaps said convex surface to form a seal under tension over said aperture.

7. A valve assembly for controlling the llow of pumped viscous fluids, comprising a circular support member made or" rigid material having a convex surface centrally terminating in a protuberance, said member having at least one aperture intermediate the center and the periphery of said member, a circular groove formed near the periphery and providing a pair of lands, 1a resilient circular valve member having a central opening adapted to encompass said protuberance, a flange portion on said valve member overlapping said lands, the diameter of said valve member being smaller than the diameter 0f said support member, whereby said valve member stretchingly covers said convex surface to form a seal under tension over said aperture, a pair of cylindrical connector members telescoped together land engaging said support member and said valve member therebetween, one of said connector members having a ridge adapted to press said llang portion into sealing contact with said groove.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,098,886 11/37 Salford 137-525 2,162,603 6/39 Bothe 137-525 X 2,566,576 9/51 Marsh 137-525 lX 2,663,309 12/53 Filliung 137-525 X 2,795,245 6/57 Meehan Z22-209 X 2,908,283 10/59 Kier et al 137-5253 X 3,100,068 8/ 63 Kersten 222-207 `LOUIS I. DEMBO, Primary Examiner, 

1. A DISPENSING DEVICE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, AN ELONGATED COMPRESSIBLE HOLLOW MEMBER, A CONNECTOR ATTACHED AT EACH END OF SAID MEMBER, EACH CONNECTOR CONTAINING A VALVE ASSEMBLY, ONE CONNECTOR BEING ADAPTED FOR ATTACHMENT TO A SOURCE OF VISCOUS FLUID AND THE OTHER CONNECTOR PROVIDING A PUMPING OUTLET, EACH VALVE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A CIRCULAR SUPPORT MEMBER MADE OF RIGID MATERIAL HAVING A CONVEX SURFACE CENTRALLY TERMINATING IN A NIPPLE, SAID MEMBER HAVING AT LEAST ONE APERTURE DISPOSED INTERMEDIATE THE NIPPLE AND THE PERIPHERY, A RESILIENT CIRCULAR VALVE MEMBER HAVING A CENTRAL OPENING ADAPTED TO ENCOMPASS SAID NIPPLE AND A FLANGE PORTION OVERLAPPING THE PERIPHERY OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER, THE DIAMETER OF SAID VALVE MEMBER BEING SMALLER THAN THE DIAMETER OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER, SAID VALVE MEMBER STRETCHINGLY OVERLAPPING SAID CONVEX SURFACE TO FORM A SEAL UNDER TENSION OVER SAID APERTURE, WHEREBY ACTUATION OF SAID COMPRESSIBLE MEMBER PUMPS SAID VISCOUS FLUID THROUGH SAID PUMPING OUTLET. 